474: Why Listening is One of the Best Growth Opportunities - Dr. Kelley Brummett - a podcast by ACT Dental

Why Listening is One of the Best Growth Opportunities

Episode #474 with Dr. Kelley Brummett

Sometimes, what you thought you heard a patient say isn't what they said. And as a dentist, that can get you into trouble! And to help you be a better communicator and avoid misunderstandings, Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Kelley Brummett from The Pankey Institute to share some insight into polishing those skills. Listening isn't just about hearing words! To learn how to be present, open, and a better listener, listen to Episode 474 of The Best Practices Show!

Episode Resources

• Dr. Brummett’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelley.brummett.5
• Dr. Brummett’s social media: @kelleybrummett
• The Pankey Institute: https://www.pankey.org/
• Essentials III course (sold out): https://www.pankey.org/event/e3-jan2023/
• The Restorative Nation: https://restorativenation.com/
• Subscribe to the Best Practices Show Podcast
• Join the To The Top Study Club
• See our Live Events Schedule here
• Get the Best Practices Magazine for Free!
• Write a Review on iTunes

Main Takeaways:

What you thought you heard may not be what was said.

Listen to people’s body language, not just their words.

Don't end conversations with an answer.

Ask your team for help.

Learn to be present.

Quotes:

“It’s a continual process to learn about how we as dentists, how we as humans, can be better listeners.” (7:50—7:58)

“Whenever you're having a conversation with someone, and let's say you ask them a question like, ‘Hi, how can I help you?’ and they give you a response back, it’s asking another question instead of just closing that conversation with an answer. Because oftentimes, what we’re doing is we’re trying to dial into what the real, whether it’s a cause-effect link, so we can help. Because it’s one thing when you say, ‘This tooth is broken. You need a crown,’ and the patient says, ‘Okay, I agree.’ But then, if they don't schedule, and if we didn't ask another question like, ‘Is there anything that might get in the way of scheduling this today?’ or, ‘Are there any other questions that you have?’ or, ‘Is there anything I can show you?’ you might not understand some limitations a patient has, and that can be frustrating.” (12:13—13:18)

“I have found, for myself, that I can run into trouble by missing something really critical with a patient, and what I thought I heard sometimes isn't exactly what the patient was saying.” (15:25—15:37)

“Whenever I'm with a restorative patient and I've got to go straight to hygiene, as I'm walking to that hygiene room, [I try] to make a ritual of, how do I disconnect from the patient I was with? How do I not make eye contact with the front desk — because that will cause me to be hijacked to a different direction — and then walk into the next room with as much awareness and openness as I can.”...

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